PVTIME – German energy utility EWE AG has finalised a commercial green hydrogen delivery agreement with the German chemical manufacturer tesa, renowned for its adhesive tape products. Under this new industrial offtake contract, green hydrogen generated at EWE’s large-scale Emden electrolysis complex will be supplied to tesa’s manufacturing base, replacing the use of fossil fuels in on-site industrial processes. This partnership is one of the landmark real-world decarbonisation agreements for the transition of northern Germany’s heavy industry.
Negotiated between EWE Hydrogen GmbH, a subsidiary of EWE AG, and tesa Werk Hamburg GmbH, the contract commits EWE to delivering 500 metric tonnes of renewable hydrogen each year, starting in 2028. This volume will fully satisfy tesa’s projected hydrogen demand for its Hamburg production facility. The low-carbon fuel will be used to power dual-fuel steam boilers, reducing the plant’s annual carbon dioxide emissions by around 6,000 tonnes. The hydrogen will be produced at the 320 MW Emden electrolyser site and travel to Hamburg through the regional hydrogen core network infrastructure, known as HH-WIN.
For EWE, this represents another significant industrial customer acquisition originating from its flagship Emden green hydrogen facility, following the previously announced supply agreement with steel producer Salzgitter AG. These successive offtake agreements validate the project’s business case by locking in end-user demand well ahead of the plant’s full commissioning. As northern Germany pushes forward with industrial decarbonisation roadmaps, such long-term purchase contracts are vital to reducing the risk of significant capital expenditure for electrolyser construction and hydrogen-capable factory retrofits.
From tesa’s perspective, hydrogen integration is a key part of its wider site transformation strategy. The firm combines hydrogen-fired steam generation with energy-efficiency upgrades, heat-storage hardware, and AI-driven energy management to reduce the carbon footprint of its adhesive manufacturing operations. According to industry observers, the collaboration offers a replicable blueprint for mid-sized chemical and consumer goods manufacturers looking to phase out their reliance on fossil gas by using locally produced green hydrogen.
